I’m counting this as route research, even though it’s on my doorstep. On a lovely day I biked all York’s nine cyclable crossings of the Ouse (three of them ped/cycles-only), from northern ring road to southern railtrail, crossing to the other side at each one. Lots of sunny riverside trundling, and architecture ranging from charming…
Author: Rob Ainsley
Eboracum: All roads lead to Roman York
York’s a Viking City: indeed, it’s twinned, uniquely, with itself. With its past incarnation, Jorvik, the place thus rebranded by those non-horned-helmet-wearing Danes in 866. But York is also a Roman City, and today I was cycling in search of its Latin past. The Romans set it up as a garrison town in 71, utilising…
Rudston: Village of standing
One day I’ll write a book about how you don’t need to visit the rest of the world to see the sights. We’ve got our own, better, more convenient versions here. Iguazu? Forget it – we’ve got Aysgarth Falls! Uluru? Waste of money – visit Cronkley Scar and tramp freely to the top. Eiffel Tower?…
Kiplingcotes: Course of history
Yorkshire is proud of its ancient traditions. Someone has blown a horn every night for 800 years in Ripon, for instance. The neighbours must be fed up of it by now. And we can boast England’s – maybe, pace Siena, even the world’s? – oldest horse race (pic). Every third Thursday in March since 1519,…
Inverness 2: Tomatin sauce
Another fab day of cycle route research from Inverness, looping down to Tomatin and back over the moor (you say Tomartin, I say Tomaytin, let’s call the whole thing off).
Inverness 1: Loch Ness monster etc
Back researching cycle routes, at last, after five months of kicking my heels, twiddling my thumbs and drumming my fingers. Who says men can’t multi-task? Anyway, today was a loop from Inverness, through the lake district south of Loch Ness. All fab, varied scenery on tiny back roads devoid of traffic. And, er, cafes and…
Edinburgh: Giraffes, mythic dogs and pizzas
I’m en route to Inverness for some route research at last, after months stuck at home, and stopped off in Edinburgh for an investigative cycle round.
Ure 3: York to Faxfleet
Day 3 of the River Ure ride was the climax of the whole project, finishing at the point where all the rivers become the Humber Estuary. It featured a dog weeing on a bike, a 1980s Iron Curtain border, fish and chips, the Ouse Riviera – and it was a scorcher. After a couple of…
Ure 2: Ripon to York
Day 2 of the River Ure ride featured a pig playing bagpipes, a mysterious automatic hand, devilish darts, Roman mosaics, ice-cream at a lock, and a celebration riverside pint in York. An easy day today, following the river down the flat Vale of York from Ripon’s market square (pic) to York itself. We were in…
Ure 1: Garsdale to Ripon
River Ure Source Ure Head, GarsdaleMouth (as River Ouse*) Trent Falls, FaxfleetLength (inc Ouse*) 129 milesTowns Hawes, Masham, Ripon, Boroughbridge; (as Ouse*) York, Selby, Goole The eighth and last of my Rivers Rides was a splendid three-day, 130-mile trip from lofty moors to vast estuary along the River Ure. Day 1 featured Yorkshire’s Niagara, someone…